March 27, 2009
BARRY MCGEE & MARGARET KILGALLEN / ART:21
Portrait of Barry McGee and Margaret Kilgallen from the Art:21 television series, which focus exclusively on contemporary visual art and artists in the United States. It allows the viewer to observe the artists at work, watch their process as they transform inspiration into art, and hear their thoughts as they grapple with the physical and visual challenges of achieving their artistic visions. Circleculture Gallery is proud to show Barry McGee‘ s work from 9th April in a group show together with Raymond Pettibon and Ed Templeton.
via Art:21
Barry McGee (1968-) comes from a background of creating unsanctioned work on city streets in his native San Francisco. Originally signing his works with the tag “Twist”, the artist draws his force and inspiration from the contrast and tension that exists between the city center and the suburbs, between wealthy districts and the slums. McGee’s signature tags and markings have inserted an element of the individual and the handmade into a depersonalized urban landscape that has become increasingly crowded with corporate logos, trademarks and advertisements. McGee’s complex installations convey a sense of vitality and chaos, juxtaposed with a precarious nature and sense of alienation. Large-scale wall murals, clusters of small, framed drawings and snapshots, various tools and other street detritus make their way into his installations in an almost symphonic fashion. McGee has exhibited his works internationally including Deitch Projects, New York, UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, Foundation Cartier, Paris, and Fondazione Prada, Milan. McGee currently lives and works in San Francisco, California.